An optional function of software for the digital device such as an optical transmission apparatus is used at a user terminal via a network.
However, since the optical transmission apparatus has no license function, when the optional function of software is extended, the expense of upgrade cannot be charged to the user. Accordingly, the expense of software can be charged only when the hardware is purchased.
Therefore, in the case where the user purchases all the hardware at the time of newly introduction of the optical transmission device, the subsequent addition of the optional function of software is supported with no charge (no set price). Also, since the price was set for only the hardware of the optical transmission apparatus, it was impossible to configure a business model with addition of the optional function of software involving lowering the initial introduction price of the user and withdrawing the expenses in accordance with a use situation of the user after the introduction.
Thus, it has been proposed that the user gains access to the digital device such as an optical transmission apparatus from the user terminal using a license key. One example of such a technique was described in patent document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 2003-67072) and patent document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 2004-213469). Also, a technique associated with the patent documents 1 and 2 was described in patent document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 2007-259315).
The “digital device having an optional function” of patent document 1 is a digital device including various kinds of optional functions and being set not to operate the optional functions at the time of shipment, comprising means for storing an input license key by the user when the license key of the optional function is inputted by the user, means for judging an option type of the input license key to start a function corresponding to the concerned option type, means for reading a preset serial number of the digital device along with the input of the license key, means for creating the license key from the serial number with the function, and means for comparing the input license key with the created license key and starting the optional function corresponding to the type of the input license key if both license keys are matched. The digital device operates in the following way.
This digital device starts a function corresponding to the option type of the input license key, when the license key of the optional function is inputted by the user. Then the function creates a license key using the serial number. If this created license key and the input license key are matched, the optional function corresponding to the type of the input license key starts. Accordingly, the user does not need to ask the maker to withdraw the purchased digital device and install the option for the version up, whereby the user can save trouble.
The “image forming apparatus” of patent document 2 is an image forming apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of programs for implementing apparatus identification information intrinsic to the apparatus and an optional function, program management means for holding starting program identification information indicating whether or not the plurality of programs are set as programs to be executed at the time of starting the apparatus, and license management means for granting use permission for the plurality of programs, in which the license management means includes license information acquisition means for acquiring, from an external apparatus, license information including apparatus specifying information and program specifying information for specifying one program designated as the program to be executed at the time of starting the apparatus, determination means for determining whether or not the program specified by the program specifying information is set as the program to be executed at the time of starting the apparatus by referring to the starting program identification information held in the program management means, if the apparatus specifying information included in the license information acquired by the license information acquisition means and the apparatus identification information stored in the storage means are matched, and the program specified by the program specifying information included in the license information corresponds to any of the plurality of programs, and update means for updating the starting program identification information held in the program management means to set the program specified by the program specifying information as the program to be executed at the time of starting the apparatus, if the determination means determines that the program specified by the program specifying information is not set as the program to be executed at the time of starting the apparatus. The image forming apparatus operates in the following way.
This image forming apparatus acquires, from the outside, license information including apparatus specifying information and program specifying information for specifying one program designated as the program to be executed at the time of starting the apparatus, determines whether or not the program specified by the program specifying information is set as the program to be executed at the time of starting the apparatus by referring to the starting program identification information, if the apparatus specifying information included in the acquired license information and the apparatus identification information stored in the storage means are matched, and the program specified by the program specifying information included in the license information corresponds to any of the plurality of programs, and updates the starting program identification information to set the program specified by the program specifying information as the program to be executed at the time of starting the apparatus, if it is determined that the program specified by the program specifying information is not set as the program to be executed at the time of starting the apparatus. Therefore, the program for implementing the optional function can be validated without taking an extra cost and the security for validating the optional function can be improved.
The “optical transmission apparatus, optical transmission method and optical transmission control program” of patent document 3 involves the optical transmission apparatus that sets an input/output band on an optical communication channel in an optical network of TDM method using the GMPLS (Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching), comprising optical communication channel change means for changing the input/output band used by the optical communication channel on the optical transmission line to the an adjacent optical transmission apparatus for each transmission line, and band adjustment means for rearranging, if the input/output bands used by the optical communication channel are arranged discontinuously on the optical transmission line, the discontinuously arranged input/output bands to continuous bands by controlling the optical communication channel change means. The apparatus operates in the following way.
The optical transmission apparatus rearranges the discontinuously arranged input/output bands to the continuous bands by controlling the optical communication channel change means for changing the input/output band used by the optical communication channel on the optical transmission line to the adjacent optical transmission apparatus for each transmission line, if the input/output bands used by the optical communication channel are arranged discontinuously on the optical transmission line. Therefore, fragmentary bands occurring on the optical transmission line can be resolved, whereby the degree of freedom in setting the path on the optical network can be improved.